The present invention relates to a needle cover for covering an injection needle of an injection device and to a cannula support comprising such a needle cover. The needle cover is preferably used in injection pens for administering a medicine, for example insulin or hormone, or for injecting another therapeutic or diagnostic fluid.
Non-covered injection needles involve a significant risk of injury and infection. Suitable securing elements are therefore required, to securely cover at least the tips of the needles. Certain injection devices require official admission as medical devices because they comprise an integrated medicine container, for example a replaceable ampoule. In order that such medical devices can be used repeatedly, it is advantageous for reasons of hygiene if the injection needle itself can be easily replaced, for example by plugging a cannula support comprising the injection needle onto the injection device. Thus, there is a need for reliable and cost-effective needle covers.
Another pending patent application by the Applicant discloses a needle cover for an injection pen. Said cover comprises a cylindrical sleeve surrounding the needle and serving as a covering means which may be longitudinally shifted in the axial direction of the needle. A spring acting on the covering means serves as a restoring means which proximally advances the needle cover after the device has been used once. Latching means latch in the proximal end position and prevent the needle cover from being retracted again for another needle injection.
This needle cover is comparatively costly because it comprises a comparatively large number of components, is comparatively large and has to be fixed to the injection device itself.